Illinois Governor Pat Quinn will sign the marriage equality bill on November 20, he announced today:

Governor Quinn today announced that he will sign historic legislation in the days ahead that will make Illinois the 15th state in the nation to embrace full marriage equality. The signing ceremony will take place at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Forum on November 20, 2013 at 3:30 p.m.

“Marriage equality is coming to Illinois,” Governor Quinn said. “I look forward to signing this landmark legislation on November 20 and celebrating a big step forward with the people of Illinois.”

Comments

Somebody please catch me up on this . . . WHY does the governor have to wait until November 20 to sign this into law?

Posted by: Mike | Nov 7, 2013 6:52:33 PM

What difference does it make when he signs it when it doesn't go into effect until June? Calm down.

Posted by: Mikey | Nov 7, 2013 6:55:07 PM

He wants all the people involved in the fight to be there. The earliest a marriage can occur is June 1, 2014 so really he has until to sign.

Posted by: in60657 | Nov 7, 2013 6:56:46 PM

I don't believe he has to wait. My understanding from previous articles is that he's choosing to have a signing ceremony and wants all of the activists who worked on the legislation to be able to be present.

It still seems like an excessive delay to me. But since the legislation has an effective date of June 1, 2014, it doesn't really matter whether he signs it today of 13 days from now.

Posted by: Kevin_BGFH | Nov 7, 2013 6:58:36 PM

Of course, practically speaking, it doesn't really matter how quickly he signs it. Still, it does seem like a strange delay...not sure why he can't find any time to do this before the 20th.

Posted by: Greg | Nov 7, 2013 7:01:27 PM

20 days to sign the bill. EIGHT MONTHS to design a new marriage application form.
If politicians worked this slowly in the real world they would be fired. They are pathetic.

Posted by: Icebloo | Nov 7, 2013 7:26:08 PM

Is it asking too much that the activists make this their first priority? It sounds like we're waiting for someone to come back from vacation. It reminds me of Prop 8.

In any event, given the history of Christian terrorism in regards to abortion, the governor is brave to walk around so long with a target on his back.

Posted by: Merv | Nov 7, 2013 8:05:52 PM

The action now shifts to Hawaii. Friday is the last reading. I don't understand why they need to read it three times as if they have reading disability. People say second reading is the most important and the third reading is just a formality. That means it will very likely pass on Friday.

Posted by: simon | Nov 7, 2013 8:10:20 PM

They should just sign it and make it official. Not all same sex couples and individuals may be around till then, and yes, the signing makes it feel legit.

I am very mindful one of the House member's son died shortly after the vote. Maybe waiting for two weeks in that context makes a lot of sense and is a sensitive step, allowing that member some time to grieve and not have to attend the celebration before her son's funeral or the day after. The member made a big sacrifice for equal rights, leaving her son's bedside to vote presumably knowong he was very unwell. Obviously it wouldn't be right for the Governor to point this out but it's only right he (and we) are thinking of her and all she did to make sure it passed.

Posted by: Craig Nelson | Nov 8, 2013 4:14:14 AM

November 20 really isn't far away--perfectly reasonable to wait a few days for the signing, particularly since the law doesn't go into effect till next year. The important thing is that the law finally passed.

An important victory and we'll take it. But there is no freakin' way the majority should be voting on the rights of minorities in the first place. The fact that my rights should be in the hands of these numbskull religious wing nuts from downstate is galling. They mete them out only sparingly and if they get something in return. Interpretation of rights and fairness and protection of minorities are why we have courts.

We need Ruth Bader Ginsburg to ride in here on her unicorn and finish the job for all the folks in places like, say, the South.

Posted by: Rob | Nov 8, 2013 6:39:33 AM

My partner and I have been waiting 22 years, so an extra two weeks is nothing.

The governor's not going to change his mind during the interim, if that's what you're worried about - he's been pro-same-sex marriage for quite some time now.